The Pretty Red Girl

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Notes

I give this fine air as I learned it in early days from singers; but an instrumental setting, much ornamented, will be found in Bunting, 1840, page 66. It is there given in the major; but I always heard it sung and played in the minor. There was an Irish song to it of which I remember the first verse. Of this whole song there was a free translation, which was very generally known and sung, of which I can recall the following three verses. They give an admirable picture of the sturdy professional beggarman, as he flourished, and as I well remember him, before 1847.

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Song Only 1 transcription Has lots of stepwise movement Has some stepwise movement major C 3/4 Has notes text No chords explore more...

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X:105
T:An Cail\'in Deas Ruadh
T:The Colleen Dhas Rue
T:The Pretty Red Girl
B:Joyce, P. W.; "Old Irish Folk Music and Songs"
R:song
L:1/4
N:  I give this fine air as I learned it in early days from singers; but an
N:instrumental setting, much ornamented, will be found in Bunting, 1840, page
N:66.  It is there given in the major; but I always heard it sung and played
N:in the minor.  There was an Irish song to it of which I remember the first
N:verse.
N:
W:A bhean-a'-tighe sh\'eimh cuir ad\'eirc amach cun a doill;
W:Beidh mo phaidir chun D\'e a-cur s\'eun agus rath air do chloinn:
W:D\'a m-beidh mo bhean agum fh\'ein ni bheith mo l\'eint\'in dithte
W:                                            air mo dhru\'im;
W:A's go bh-fuil s\'i a g-Cill-teun, mo leun, agus leac air a dru\'im.
W:
W:O gentle woman of the house, give alms to the blind man;
W:My prayer to God will be to give prosperity and good luck to your children:
W:If I had my own wife my shirt would not be soiled [as it is] on my back;
W:But alas, she lies in Kiltane with a stone at her head.
W:
N:  Of this whole song there was a free translation, which was very
N:generally known and sung, of which I can recall the following three verses.
N:They give an admirable picture of the sturdy professional beggarman, as he
N:flourished, and as I well remember him, before 1847.
W:
W:Of all trades a-going, begging it is my delight:
W:My rent it is paid and I lay down my bags ev'ry night:
W:I'll throw away care and take a long staff in my hand,
W:And I'll flourish each day courageously looking for chance.
W:
W:With my belt round my shoulder and down my bags they do hang;
W:With a push and a jolt it's quickly I'll have them yoked on;
W:With my horn by my side, likewise my skiver and can;
W:With my staff and long pike to fight the dogs as I gang.
W:
W:To patterns and fairs I'll go round for collection along,
W:I'll seem to be lame and quite useless of one of my hands.
W:Like a pilgrim I'll pray each day with my hat in my hand,
W:And at night in the alehouse I'll stand and pay like a man.
M:3/4
K:C
"With expression."\
F/G/|\
AAB|G2 A/B/|F>A G/E/|EDD|D2 D/E/|F G/F/E/D/|F>GA/B/|cAG|
Add|d2 A/G/|F G/F/E/D/|F>G A/B/|cAG|
Ad d/e/|f2 ((3e/d/c/)|de/d/c/A/| d>cA/G/|F>AG/E/|EDD|D2||

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